In February, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez sponsored a resolution in the House of Representatives to recognize the duty of the federal government to create a Green New Deal. The reactions publicized in the media were colorful. Supporters viewed H. Res. 109 and its Senate counterpart introduced by Sen. Ed Markey, S. Res. 59, as embodying a critical commitment to halt global warming, restructure the economy and promote social justice. In contrast, detractors claimed that if adopted, the resolution would establish socialism and, worse yet, prevent Americans from eating hamburgers. Rather than engaging in a genuine policy debate concerning global warming or income inequality, some detractors seized upon a premature press release mentioning cow emissions, and, perhaps facetiously, sought to rally citizens to protect their claimed dietary rights.

Although the specific legislation needed to implement the resolution is still a work in progress, the resolution serves a valuable purpose in elevating important issues for public discussion. When polemics are set aside, the resolution establishes a vision for fundamental environmental, economic and social change that its proponents contend must be pursued with urgency. As a statement of principles, it neither sets enforceable statutory requirements nor contains a detailed blueprint for implementing its goals. In a democracy, the merits of these principles and how they may be implemented should be explored in the marketplace of ideas. So let the discussion begin.